Exercise

What is exercise?

To be defined, exercise is physical exertion on the body. It is doing some physical activity which releases body heat and energy, and in turn maintains a healthy body.

In today’s era, I feel I do not need to explain the importance. We all are aware of the reasons and benefits of exercising. The whole concept revolves around “being healthy”.

Some exercises are done to lose weight, some to increase stamina, some to increase speed, some to increase strength, some to tackle the disease and the reasons may vary from person to person. We exercise to improve our state of fitness and wellness.

Exercising also improves the mood of an individual, and makes him emotionally stronger as well.
When you target a reason to exercise, you definitely get other benefits as well.

It seems like an exclusive BUY 1 GET 3 offer you often find while shopping!

There are different types of exercises, which can be classified on multiple basis. Some of the exercises are highlighted below. Each can be done according to the capacity and need of the individual.
• Light exercise (going for a walk)
• Moderate exercise (cycling)
• Vigorous exercise (running, heavy weight training)

BACK EXERCISES

Back is the main base of our body, and the following exercises could be done for this specific part.

• Barbell Dead-lift: Get ready for a heavy exercise.
1. For this, you have to set your feet apart.
2. Now, with your back up straight in an aligned posture, bend your knees.
3. Remember to keep your lower back straight and stiff. Done? You have to take a sumo-like position.
4. Pick the barbell down there, slowly and steadily. While doing this, do not let your lower back curve.
5. Now put it down. Rest for a few seconds and then repeat as per required.

• Close grip pull down:
1. Sit on a press bench or the T-Bar bench. There is a bar above your head, which you need to pull down.
2. Grab the bar with both your hands. Set your hands a few inches apart. This will make your grip more strong.
3. Now, pull the bar towards your chest, near and near.
4. Try holding on to it and then release.
5. Repeat this pulling down exercises with regular time intervals.

SHOULDER EXERCISES

• Upright Cable Row:
1. For this, you need a straight cable attachment on the floor in front of you which you will be pulling now.
2. Hold the bar cable in a standing position. You can rest it upon your thighs.
3. The arms while holding are in an extended position, with slightly bent at the elbow region. The alignment of the back should be straight and upright.
4. Now lift the cable bar, and bring it closer to your body. Continue pulling it towards yourself as long as it doesn’t reach your chin portion.
5. Hold and then lower the bar cable slowly. Repeat this in sets.

• Dumbbell Shoulder Press:
1. Get seated on a Press bench or a simple bench.
2. You have dumbbells? Hold one each in your hand. Palms should face forward.
3. Now, raise the dumbbells up towards the ceiling, making L shape with the hands. Don’t twist the palms position. If you do so, the shoulder exercise would turn into a forearm exercise.
4. When both the dumbbells reach the top position, hold for a while and then lower down.
5. Rest and then repeat.

CORE EXERCISES

Core exercises are those which strengthen your core muscles. The core has abdominal and abs portion.

• Tummy Vacuums:
1. Stand straight like a soldier and keep your hands on your hips.
2. Release out all the air you have inside you.
3. Releasing all the air will expand your chest, and compress your stomach.
4. Your stomach will now look like as if you have been hungry for years, and due to this your stomach and your backbone have become united. Can you do this?
5. You won’t achieve this so easily. A regular practice will make you do it better day by day.
6. Hold the united position and then release. Well done!

• Clam Shells: It is named so, as the position in this exercise resembles a clam shell. It can be done anywhere, with little space and less equipment.
1. Lie on the floor, sideways. Your legs should be close to each other.
2. Bend the knees at 45 degrees.
3. Take your arm under your head for giving it a platform to rest.
4. You can use the other upper arm to keep it on your body sideways. You can judge your alignment through your upper arm very well.
5. Hipbones should be joined in one on one position. They should not rest backward or forward.
6. You automatically feel a pull at your belly.
7. Now slowly raise the upper knee higher and higher, but not too higher. This action should not disturb your hipbones and posture.
8. Come back to the original position by slowly lowering the leg. Repeat.

ABS EXERCISES

• Pull ups: This is one of the most common and popular exercise in men.
1. Stand with the pull up bar at your target.
2. Grab the bar with both your hands. The palms should face in a forward direction. Grip can be maintained as per your desired width.
3. Maintain the curvature of the lower back. Now try pulling your torso above towards the bar, or bar towards the torso. In any way, you will reach the desired position.
4. Your arms exert intensive pressure at this moment. Coordinate your exhale and inhale process while doing these pull ups.
5. Lower back to the original position with your arms fully stretched.
6. Repeat this in sets you require.

• Medicine Ball Slam: This is a very explosive exercise, using a simple medicine ball. The weight of the medicine ball can be taken as per your capacity.
1. Take hold of a medicine ball and keep a mat on the floor.
2. Stand straight and in an erect posture.
3. Pick up the medicine ball kept in front of you, and carry it all up towards the ceiling in one go. This should be done with your arms extended, way all above.
4. With all your force and “chi”, SLAM the ball on the floor!
I know it sounds harsh, but let your neighbors know about the hulk inside you!

LOWER BACK EXERCISES

• Hug A Ball: This exercise is very simple and cute one.
1. Sit on the floor with your legs spread forward.
2. Have an exercise ball in front of you.
3. HUG it! What are you waiting for?
Do you know how it works on your lower back? It makes the curvature of your lower back go flexible.

• Dancer’s stretch:
1. Lie down on the floor with straight position. You can keep feet slightly apart to support you in the next move.
2. Lift your left leg up, and make it cross the right knee from above. The left feet should touch the floor passing over the right knee. The right leg at this moment should be straight and in touch with the floor.
3. Hold this position for a few seconds. Release.
4. Now bring the right leg up, cross the left knee and let the right feet touch the floor. Hold again and then release.
5. While doing this exercise, you can keep your arms sideways at rest position, with your palm touching the floor. This will support you as well while crossing the legs over knee.

DUMBBELL EXERCISES

• Shoulder Press:
1. Stand up straight with a dumbbell in each hand. The palm should face forward.
2. The dumbbells should be held near the shoulders.
3. Now lift the dumbbells up in a straight manner. Pause for a while, or shall I say, hold.
4. Now lower down both the dumbbells slowly and steadily.

• Front Raise:
1. This is a raise of barbells directly from the front.
2. Stand in a straight position, with feet apart at desired distance. The distance should be of a few inches.
3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand near to the thighs. The palms should face towards the body.
4. Now raise thee dumbbells slowly from the front, up and up. You don’t have to go up towards the ceiling. Just stay parallel to the ground, i.e., your extended arms holding the dumbbell should be parallel to the floor.
5. Hold for a few seconds. Do not do it for too long, as you may put extra pressure upon your body muscles, which may be harmful.
6. Lower the dumbbells back to the original position, near to the thighs.
7. Your arms when parallel to the floor or perpendicular to the floor, both ways are in an extended position.

HAMSTRIMG EXERCISES

• 90/90 Hamstring:
1. Lie on your back to the floor.
2. As suggested by the name, the 90-90 angles have to be used.
3. Bend one hip at 90 degree and the knee of the same leg at 90 degree again. This makes a sort of a rotated L shape.
4. Leave the other leg extended straight on the floor.
5. Now hold the bent leg and extend it to the knee. You can move the lower leg straight into the air. This could be done until a pull is felt in the upper leg.
6. Hold on the position for a few seconds and then release.
7. You can now do this with alternate legs continuously.

• Alternating hang clean:
1. This requires two kettle bells. Arrange them in such a manner that they come directly between your feet.
2. Push your butt back a little, and thrust your upper body a little forward. Look straight ahead.
3. Hold both the kettle bells. But you have to clean them one by one.
4. Clean one kettle bell to your shoulder. The other one is held in a hanging position.
5. You can use your shoulders, legs, hips and wrist while doing so.
6. Lower down the first kettle bell. Now it is the chance of the second one. Do it in the same way.

STRETCHING EXERCISES

• Ankle Circles: These are simple rotational exercises.
1. Stand straight, with arms relaxed sideward.
2. Lift the right leg a few inches above the ground.
3. Perform a big circular motion. Make it go round and round, round and round , till your feet feels dizzy.
4. You can do one clockwise and another one anticlockwise.
5. Bring the right leg back to normal position.
6. Do the same with the left leg.
7. The repetitions can be made as per instructed by the trainer or own conscience.

• Arm Circles:
1. Stand straight with arms projected outwards at the sides. They should be running parallel with the floor and perpendicular to the body.
2. Now you have to make “O” with your arms, of a few inches.
3. Do it clockwise for a few seconds. Now change the direction. Do it anticlockwise.

KETTLEBELL EXERCISE

• Kettle bell Swing: It is just simply projecting the kettle bell to the shoulder height. However, the weight of the kettle bell can be a challenge for you.

• Kettle bell Squat:
1. You have to stand feet apart with your toes pointing in the front.
2. Hold a heavy kettle bell in front of you. The palms should be facing inwards.
3. The chest should be in a lifted posture.
4. Do squats as your thighs become parallel to the ground.

BREATHING EXERCISE:

Breathing exercises are well adapted in yoga and simple exercises. It raises internal energy and increases alertness.

• The Stimulating Breath:
1. In this exercise, the inhale and exhale go hand in hand with high speed.
2. This should be done without the use of mouth, i.e., the mouth should be kept closed.
3. There should not be relaxed breathing. The time period between an inhale and an exhale should be short and rapid.
4. This exercise may make some noise.
5. The best way is to do three sets of inhale and exhale rapidly. Then, take a break. Now again start with another set of 3 repetitions.

• The Relaxing Breathing: this exercise is utterly simple and takes almost no time, requires no equipment.
1. Release the air filled in you completely through the mouth. You may behave like a kid while doing this. Some mischief is always allowed. Make some noise while doing this.
2. Close your mouth now. Inhale with the help of nose while counting up to 4 in your head.
3. Hold the breath till that tiny voice in your head counts 7.
4. When it counts 8, release it all again through the mouth.

• The Morning Breathing:
1. Stand straight with feet few inches apart.
2. Now, slightly bend the knees. Bend your upper body forward, and let your arms hang in a relaxed state sideways.
3. Now slowly inhale and return to the standing position. This feels like a limp dead zombie got transformed in a perfect human standing erect.
4. Again you exhale, and this makes you the dead zombie back again.
5. Repeat this as much you require.

BODY WEIGHT EXERCISES

• Tuck jump:
This one is of an interesting kind. People, you should enjoy this one.
1. Stand straight with feet apart a few inches.
2. Bend a little over the knees and prepare yourself for a jump.
3. Jump! Bring the knees closer to your chest while doing a jump.
4. Arms should be extended out. Straight into the air. Sideways or forward, choice is yours according to your comfort level. You can also put your arms behind your head, bent at the elbows.
5. Land carefully with bent knees only. And, without pausing, go in for another jump.

• Stair Climb and Bicep Curls:
1. Carry dumbbells in both of your hands.
2. You are now going in for a speedy staircase run.
3. Go up the stairs swiftly.
4. Come down the stairs swiftly.
5. Do bicep curls while doing the run.
6. This seems to be double-tasking exercise. Not to worry, the coordination will soon fit in.

ABDOMINAL EXERCISES

• ¾ Sit Up:
1. You begin with lying on the floor, with your back on the ground.
2. Bent the legs at the knees.
3. Your hands should be placed behind the head or at the side, touching your ears. This will support your sit up action.
4. Raise your upper body up, ¾ of the way.
5. Now reverse the motion.
6. Continue going back and forth.
Set time limits or target of sets to make it challenging.